Hawke’s Bay does Indian food well, and the best Indian restaurants in Hastings range from long established family kitchens to tandoori specialists working a proper clay oven. These five cover North Indian curries, biryanis, tandoori, and substantial vegetarian ranges, with dine in, takeaway and delivery between them. Star Of India and Namaskar are two of the names that come up most often locally.
1Star Of India
Star Of India is on Karamu Road North and is run by chef owner Dan Singh, who trained in Uttarakhand and served a cookery apprenticeship at The Ambassador’s Sky Chef in Mumbai before moving to New Zealand in 2004. The family started the business in 2008 and brought it to Hawke’s Bay in 2011, and there is now a second site in Taradale. Dishes are cooked to order and staff will talk you through the heat level, which is useful if you are ordering for a mixed group.
Services
- Dine in, with a separate dine in menu
- Takeaway menu
- Online ordering for the Hastings restaurant
- Lunch and dinner reservations
- Full drinks menu
Highlights
- Fully licensed, with BYO wine at $5 per bottle corkage
- Chef owner Dan Singh apprenticed at the five star Ambassador’s Sky Chef in Mumbai
- Family owned since 2008, and in Hawke’s Bay since 2011
- Dishes made to order with the heat level explained by staff
- Two Hawke’s Bay locations, Hastings and Taradale
Location & Contact
Name: Star Of India
Address: 1012 Karamu Road North, Hastings 4122
Phone: 06 878 4008
Website: starofindiabay.co.nz
2Namaskar Restaurant
Namaskar is a family run Indian restaurant on Joll Road in Havelock North, about five minutes from central Hastings, established in April 2012. The menu is unusually large, running past 180 dishes across more than 15 categories, cooked by a team of chefs using local produce and imported spices. Booth seating and low lighting make it more of a sit down dinner venue than a takeaway counter, though it does both.
Services
- Dine in with table reservations
- Takeaway and pickup ordering
- Delivery ordering
- Catering
- Gift cards and a loyalty points scheme
Highlights
- Established in April 2012 and still family run
- Menu of more than 180 dishes across over 15 categories
- Displays a New Zealand Beef and Lamb Excellence Award
- Displays a Best Indian Takeaway Award
- Booth seated dining room with dimmed lighting rather than a counter service setup
Location & Contact
Name: Namaskar Restaurant
Address: 10 Joll Road, Havelock North
Phone: 06 877 7208
Website: namaskarindian.net
3Bollywood Indian Restaurant
Bollywood opened its first restaurant in Whanganui in 1999 and now runs sites in Hastings, Napier and Gisborne. The Hastings restaurant is on Heretaunga Street East opposite the information centre, with an intimate dining room and food cooked in a real tandoor. It handles birthday parties, sports functions and other group occasions alongside regular dine in and delivery.
Services
- Dine in
- Takeaway and pickup
- Home delivery
- Online ordering and table reservations
- Gift cards
Highlights
- Food cooked in a genuine tandoor clay oven
- Trading since 1999, having started in Whanganui
- Three restaurants across Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti
- Caters for birthdays, special occasions and sports functions
Location & Contact
Name: Bollywood Indian Restaurant
Address: 102 Heretaunga Street East, Hastings 4122
Phone: 06 876 8196
Website: bollywood.co.nz
4Taj Spice Indian Restaurant
Taj Spice sits on Heretaunga Street West in St Leonards, serving aromatic curries alongside tandoori specialities. The dining room mixes modern fit out with traditional Indian detail, and the restaurant takes bookings as well as running takeaway and home delivery. It is open seven days, which is not universal among Hastings restaurants.
Services
- Dine in with table reservations
- Takeaway
- Home delivery
- Online ordering
Highlights
- Tandoori specialities alongside the curry menu
- Open seven days, from 11am Tuesday to Saturday
- Runs its own reservation system rather than operating as takeaway only
Location & Contact
Name: Taj Spice Indian Restaurant
Address: 936 Heretaunga Street West, St Leonards, Hastings 4120
Phone: 06 876 6063
Website: tajspicehastings.co.nz
5Spice Traders
Spice Traders is on Russell Street North in central Hastings, with a menu spanning fragrant biryanis through to tandoori dishes. There is a substantial vegetarian range alongside the meat dishes, and spice levels run from mild to hot. It is open every day including Sundays, which makes it a reliable option when other kitchens are closed.
Services
- Dine in
- Takeaway
- Online ordering
- Lunch and dinner service seven days
Highlights
- Biryani and tandoori specialities
- Substantial vegetarian range alongside the meat menu
- Open every day from 10am to 9pm, including Sundays
Location & Contact
Name: Spice Traders
Address: 221 Russell Street North, Hastings 4122
Phone: 06 876 3279
Website: spicetraders.nz
Indian Restaurants in Hastings at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Star Of India | Hastings | Fully licensed, with BYO wine at $5 per bottle corkage |
| Namaskar Restaurant | Havelock North | Established in April 2012 and still family run |
| Bollywood Indian Restaurant | Hastings | Food cooked in a genuine tandoor clay oven |
| Taj Spice Indian Restaurant | St Leonards | Tandoori specialities alongside the curry menu |
| Spice Traders | Hastings | Biryani and tandoori specialities |
How to Choose the Right Indian Restaurant in Hastings
- Decide whether you want a sit down dinner or a takeaway, because some of these are proper dining rooms with booth seating while others are built around the takeaway counter.
- Ask about heat levels when you order rather than guessing, since kitchens calibrate mild and medium quite differently and most will adjust on request.
- Check the vegetarian range if that matters, as it varies from a handful of sides to a substantial part of the menu.
- Look for a tandoor if you want proper tandoori, because a clay oven produces a result an ordinary grill cannot.
- Check the trading days before a Sunday or Monday visit, as opening hours vary more than you would expect across Hastings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hastings Indian Restaurants
Which do delivery?
Several offer home delivery directly, and most run online ordering for pickup. Delivery zones are usually limited to the immediate area, so check before ordering if you are out towards Havelock North or Flaxmere. Ordering direct rather than through a third party app generally means the restaurant keeps more of the money.
Can I bring my own wine?
At least one Hastings restaurant is fully licensed and also allows BYO wine at $5 per bottle corkage. Policies differ, so ask when booking, and note that BYO usually covers wine only rather than beer or spirits.
Are there good vegetarian options?
Yes. Indian cuisine is well suited to vegetarian cooking and every restaurant here carries a vegetarian selection, with one running a particularly substantial range. If you are vegan rather than vegetarian, mention it when ordering, since ghee, cream and yoghurt appear in many standard curry bases.
What does mild actually mean?
It varies by kitchen, which is why one restaurant has staff explain the heat of each dish before you order. If you are unsure, ask for a recommendation rather than picking a heat level blind. Most kitchens will adjust the spice up or down on request.
Do any cater for functions?
Yes. One restaurant specifically caters for birthdays, special occasions and sports functions, and another offers catering as a listed service. Larger groups should book well ahead, particularly at the smaller dining rooms.
Is the food halal?
Some Indian restaurants source halal meat and some do not, and it is not always stated online. Ring and ask directly rather than assuming. Guidance on how halal certification works in New Zealand is published by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
What is the difference between a curry and a tandoori dish?
A curry is cooked in a sauce, while tandoori dishes are marinated and cooked in a tandoor, a very hot clay oven that gives the char and smokiness you cannot get from a pan. If tandoori is what you are after, check the restaurant actually has a tandoor rather than assuming it from the menu.
How far ahead should I book?
Weeknights are usually fine on the day. Friday and Saturday evenings are worth booking, especially at the smaller dining rooms, and any group of six or more should always book. Your rights if a booking or order goes wrong are covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act, explained by Consumer NZ.
How We Chose the Best Indian Restaurants in Hastings
Every business in this guide was found by searching for indian restaurants in Hastings, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Hastings, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.